Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul made a dramatic prelude to their highly anticipated boxing match at a weigh-in event in Texas, where tensions flared unexpectedly. The incident happened Thursday at the Toyota Music Factory in Irving, a day before their controversial bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
The atmosphere thickened as the two fighters stared each other down before the weigh-in, with Tyson weighing in at 228.4 pounds and Paul at 227.2 pounds. When Tyson, 58, slapped Paul’s cheek, gasps came from the audience, and security personnel rushed in to pull the two fighters apart. Tyson said as he left the stage, 'Talking's over,' and fans buzzed about the unexpected altercation.
Jake Paul, 27, played down the slap, saying he didn’t feel any pain. "He's angry. Paul, who vows to knock Tyson out in their upcoming fight, quipped, 'He's an angry little elf...cute slap buddy.' Ahead of their showdown, his remarks included an expletive-laced declaration that 'he must die.'
It's the first time Tyson has been in the ring since his last professional bout, in 2005. The boxing community has been divided on the appropriateness of a bout between a seasoned champion and a social media star 39 years his junior. Tyson's participation has been questioned by prominent figures, who say it is an affront to the sport's integrity.
The fight, set to stream live on Netflix, will feature eight two-minute rounds and is expected to attract a large audience. Anticipation is high for what might be boxing's biggest event of the year, with Tyson reportedly pocketing USD 20 million for this bout.
